Shipping and Classification Societies
Onomichi has many coastal shipping companies, as well as some that have forayed fromdomestic into oceangoing shipping, making it an international enterprise. In terms ofship classification societies, ClassNK is the only society to have an office here. Thissection will introduce Onomichi's shipping companies and ship classification society.
Plans to establish a subsidiary in Singapore

Abo Shoten, Ltd.
Abo Shoten was established in 1959, and began when the previous owner purchased
marine product wholesaler Aki Kaisanbutsu at the request of financial institutions.
After constructing coastal chemical carriers, it then ventured into the ship leasing
industry, and then into the oceangoing ship industry in 1971. It currently owns a total of27 ships, including 14 chemical tankers, three MR-type product carriers, seven bulkers(four Handymaxes and one Kamsarmax, one Panamax, and one Handysize), two
1,080-TEU-class containerships, and one PCTC (pure car/truck carrier). One uniquefeature of the company is that it leases out most of its ships on bareboat charters. It also
engages in strict risk management. Itsclients include Marubeni, JX Shipping,
Kokuka Sangyo, and Tokyo Marine. Goingforward,thecompanyplans

onestablishing a wholly-owned subsidiary inSingapore.
Photo caption
One of Abo Shoten's bulk carriers

Abo Shoten, Ltd.
President: Masafumi Abo
Address: 10-18, Tsuchido 2-chome, Onomichi City, Hiroshima 722-0035
Phone: +81-848-20-1020
Fax: +81-848-20-1022
E-mail: info@abo.co.jp
Special coatings, shipping, and cargo handling equipment are the three core businesses

Nakata Mac Corporation
Nakata Mac Corporation was established in 1932, at which time the ship coatingsindustry, that is special coatings in general, formed its operating base. This yearmarked the company's 80th in business. The company performs coating applications on
both newbuildings and ships under repair, and has even developed automatedtechnology for its special coatings. The company forayed into the shipping industry in
1982, and currently owns and operates six ships. In terms of ship types, it has fiveproduct carriers (one MR-type ship, two LR-I ships, and two LR-II ships), and one
Handymax bulker. It took over the operations of Macgregor Far East in 1991, and begandesigning and fabricating hatch covers and RORO equipment. It specializes in folding
types for Handysize and Handymax bulkers. It continues to reinforce its engineeringfunctions in all of its operations, frombusiness practices to delivery management,
product quality control, and after market
services, in an effort to secure trust with its
customers.
Photo caption
One of Nakata Mac's product carriers

Nakata Mac Corporation
President: Takashi Nakata
Head office: 6-11 Shiomi cho, Onomichi City, Hiroshima 722-0012
Phone: +81-848-20-1200
Fax: +81-848-20-1201
Branches: TokyoOffices: Nagasaki, Onomichi, Shimanami, Sakaide
Yards: Nagasaki, Chitose(Fukuyama)
E-mail: soumu@nakata-mac.co.jp
Homepage: http://www.nakata-mac.co.jp
Working hard to provide high-quality services

Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) Onomichi Branch
In May 2012, ClassNK became the first classification society in the world to exceed 200
million gross tons on its register. ClassNK is a world leading ship classification society,and its Onomichi Branch plays an important role.
The Onomichi Branch currently consists of two locations, the actual branch itself and a
sub-branch in Innoshima. The Innoshima Sub-Branch was actually established first in
1921, when it was established as the Innoshima Residential Office for business trips toKobe. ClassNK established its main headquarters in 1899, and then quickly established
an office in Innoshima to take advantage of its vast amount of vessels. An office wasestablished in the former City of Onomichi in 1946, and it began life as the Onomichi
annex of the then Innoshima Branch.
The coverage of the Onomichi Branch not only includes the City of Onomichi itself, butalso extends to Fukuyama City in the east and Ibara City (Okayama Prefecture) in thewest. The west, also encompasses Mihara, Takehara, and Akitsu-cho. To the south, its
coverage includes not only Mukaishima, Innoshima, and Ikuchijima, but extends all theway to Iwagijima (Ehime Prefecture), which is a relatively a wide coverage area for adomestic branch. The number of newbuildings constructed each year within its coveragearea is said to be between 40-50 ships. This makes it one of the country's large branches,and requires a total staff of 39 (29 of which are surveyors).
ClassNK is the only ship classificationsociety with a presence in Onomichi. GeneralManager Koichi Yoshioka stated that, "We
hope to provide real-time services, by further
enhancingcommunication

customers.

Ouraimistowith

ourcreate

anenvironment where ClassNK is the top choicefor customers," indicating the company'sdedication to high-quality services.

Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) Onomichi Branch
General Manager: Koichi Yoshioka
Address: 1-4-47 Shinhama, Onomichi City, Hiroshima 722-0014
Phone: +81-848-25-2400
Fax: +81-848-25-3228
E-mail: om@class.or.jp
Homepage: http://www.classnk.or.jp